CHAPTER XVIII
QUEEN OF HEARTS
"Sir Baldwin Frazer," said Fu-Manchu, interrupting a wild outburstfrom the former, "your refusal is dictated by insufficient knowledgeof your surroundings. You find yourself in a place strange to you, aplace to which no clue can lead your friends; in the absolute powerof a man--myself--who knows no law other than his own and that ofthose associated with him. Virtually, Sir Baldwin, you stand inChina; and in China we know how to _exact_ obedience. You will notrefuse, for Dr. Petrie will tell you something of my _wire-jackets_and my _files_...."
I saw Sir Baldwin Frazer blanch. He could not know what I knew of thesignificance of those words--"my wire-jackets, my files"--but perhapssomething of my own horror communicated itself to him.
"You will not _refuse_" continued Fu-Manchu softly; "my only fear foryou is that the operation my prove unsuccessful! In that event noteven my own great clemency could save you, for by virtue of yourfailure I should be powerless to intervene." He paused for somemoments, staring directly at the surgeon. "There are those withinsound of my voice," he added sibilantly, "who would flay you alive inthe lamentable event of your failure, who would cast your flayedbody"--he paused, waving one quivering fist above his head, "to therats--to the rats!"
Sir Baldwin's forehead was bathed in perspiration now. It was anincredible and a gruesome situation, a nightmare become reality. But,whatever my own case, I could see that Sir Baldwin Frazer wasconvinced, I could see that his consent would no longer be withheld.
"You, my dear friend," said Fu-Manchu, turning to me and resuming hisstudied and painful composure of manner, "will also consent...."
Within my heart of hearts I could not doubt him; I knew that mycourage was not of a quality high enough to sustain the frightfulordeals summoned up before my imagination by those words--"my files,my wire-jackets!"
"In the event, however, of any little obstinancy," he added,"another will plead with you."
A chill like that of death descended upon me--as, for the secondtime, Zarmi clapped her hands, pulled the curtain aside ... andKaramaneh was thrust into the room!
* * * * * * *
There comes a blank in my recollections. Long after Karamaneh hadbeen plucked out again by the two muscular brown hands which clutchedher shoulders from the darkness beyond the doorway, I seemed to seeher standing there, in her close-fitting traveling dress. Her hairwas unbound, disheveled, her lovely face pale to the lips--and hereyes, her glorious, terror-bright eyes, looked fully into mine....
Not a word did she utter, and I was stricken dumb as one who hasplucked the Flower of Silence. Only those wondrous eyes seemed tolook into my soul, searing, consuming me.
Fu-Manchu had been speaking for some time ere my brain began againto record his words.
"----and this magnanimity," came dully to my ears, "extends to you,Dr. Petrie, because of my esteem. I have little cause to loveKaramaneh"--his voice quivered furiously--"but she can yet be ofuse to me, and I would not harm a hair of her beautiful head--exceptin the event of your obstinacy. Shall we then determine yourimmediate future upon the turn of a card, as the gamester within me,within every one of my race, suggests?
"Yes, yes!" came hoarsely.
I fought mentally to restore myself to a full knowledge of what washappening, and I realized that the last words had come from the lipsof Sir Baldwin Frazer.
"Dr. Petrie," Frazer said, still in the same hoarse and unnaturalvoice, "what else can we do? At least take the chance of recoveringyour freedom, for how otherwise can you hope to serve--your friend...."
"God knows!" I said dully; "do as you wish"--and cared not to what Ihad agreed.
Plunging his hand beneath his white overall, the Chinaman who had beenreferred to as Li-King-Su calmly produced a pack of cards,unemotionally shuffled them and extended the pack to me.
I shook my head grimly, for my hands were tied. Picking up a lancetfrom the table, the Chinaman cut the cords which bound me, and againextended the pack. I took a card and laid it on my knee without evenglancing at it. Fu-Manchu, with his left hand, in turn selected acard, looked at it and then turned its face towards me.
"It would seem, Dr. Petrie," he said calmly, "that you are fated toremain here as my guest. You will have the felicity of residingbeneath the same roof with Karamaneh."
The card was the Knave of Diamonds.
Conscious of a sudden excitement, I snatched up the card from myknee. It was the Queen of Hearts! For a moment I tasted exultation,then I tossed it upon the floor. I was not fool enough to supposethat the Chinese Doctor would pay his debt of honor and release me.
"Your star above mine," said Fu-Manchu, his calm unruffled. "I placemyself in your hands, Sir Baldwin."
Assisted by his unemotional compatriot, Fu-Manchu discarded theyellow robe, revealing himself in a white singlet in all his gauntugliness, and extended his frame upon the operating-table.
Li-King-Su ignited the large lamp over the head of the table, andfrom his case took out a trephine.
* * * * * * *
"Other points for your guidance from my own considerable store ofexperience"--Fu-Manchu was speaking--"are written out clearly in thenotebook which lies upon the table...."
His voice, now, was toneless, emotionless, as though his part in thecritical operation about to be performed were that of a spectator. Notrace of nervousness, of fear, could I discern; his pulse waspractically normal.
How I shuddered as I touched his yellow skin! how my very soul roseup in revolt! ...
* * * * * * *
"There is the bullet!--quick! ... Steady, Petrie!"
Sir Baldwin Frazer, keen, cool, deft, was metamorphosed, was theenthusiastic, brilliant surgeon whom I knew and revered, and anotherthan the nerveless captive who, but a few minutes ago, had stared,panic-stricken, at Dr. Fu-Manchu.
Although I had met him once or twice professionally, I had neverhitherto seen him operate; and his method was little short ofmiraculous. It was stimulating, inspiring. With unerring touch hewhittled madness, death, from the very throne of reason, of life.
Now was the crucial moment of his task ... and, with its coming, everylight in the room suddenly failed--went out!
"My God!" whispered Frazer, in the darkness, "quick! quick! lights!a match!--a candle!--something, anything!"
There came a faint click, and a beam of white light was directed,steadily, upon the patient's skull. Li-King-Su--unmoved--held anelectric torch in his hand!
Frazer and I set to work, in a fierce battle to fend off Death, whoalready outstretched his pinions over the insensible man--to fend offDeath from the arch-murderer, the enemy of the white races, who laythere at our mercy! ...
* * * * * * *
"It seems you want a pick-me-up!" said Zarmi. Sir Baldwin Frazercollapsed into the cane arm-chair. Only a matting curtain separated usfrom the room wherein he had successfully performed perhaps the mostwonderful operation of his career.
"I could not have lasted out another thirty seconds, Petrie!" hewhispered. "The events which led up to it had exhausted my nerves andI had no reserve to call upon. If that last ..."
He broke off, the sentence uncompleted, and eagerly seized the tumblercontaining brandy and soda, which the beautiful, wicked-eyed Eurasianpassed to him. She turned, and prepared a drink for me, with theinsolent _insouciance_ which had never deserted her.
I emptied the tumbler at a draught.
Even as I set the glass down I realized, too late, that it was thefirst drink I had ever permitted to pass my lips within an abode ofDr. Fu-Manchu....
I started to my feet.
"Frazer!" I muttered--"we've been drugged! we ..."
"You sit down," came Zarmi's husky voice, and I felt her hands uponmy breast, pushing me back into my seat. "You very tired ... you goto sleep...."
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nbsp; * * * * * * *
"Petrie! Dr. Petrie!"
The words broke in through the curtain of unconsciousness. I stroveto arouse myself. I felt cold and wet. I opened my eyes--and the worldseemed to be swimming dizzily about me. Then a hand grasped my arm,roughly.
"Brace up! Brace up, Petrie--and thank God you are alive! ..."
I was sitting beside Sir Baldwin Frazer on a wooden bench, under aleafless tree, from the ghostly limbs whereof rain trickled down uponme! In the gray light, which, I thought, must be the light of dawn,I discerned other trees about us and an open expanse, tree-dotted,stretching into the misty grayness.
"Where are we?" I muttered--"where ..."
"Unless I am greatly mistaken," replied my bedraggled companion, "andI don't think I am, for I attended a consultation in this neighborhoodless than a week ago, we somewhere on the west side of WandsworthCommon!"
He ceased speaking; then uttered a suppressed cry. There came ajangling of coins, and dimly I saw him to be staring at a canvas bagof money which he held.
"Merciful heavens!" he said, "am I mad--or did I _really_ perform thatoperation? And can this be my fee? ..."
I laughed loudly, wildly, plunging my wet, cold hands into the pocketsof my rain-soaked overcoat. In one of them, my fingers came in contactwith a piece of cardboard. It had an unfamiliar feel, and I pulled itout, peering at it in the dim light.
"Well, I'm damned!" muttered Frazer--"then I'm not mad, after all!"
It was the Queen of Hearts!